Wheel guard



Nov. 6, 1928. 1,691,018

- c. A. scoTT WHEEL GUARD Filed June 30, 1927 W/MMYM Patented Nov. 6,1928.

UNITED STATES y g y i 1,691,018 PATE-Nr OFFICE,

CHARLES A SCOTT, OF ROME, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

GENERALl CABLE CORPORATION, JERSEY. y'

OE NEW YORK, N. Y.,-A CORPORATION `OE NEW WHEEL GUARD.

Appiicatiori filed ,June 3o,-1927.-seriai No. 292,476.

This invention relates to wheel guards, and has as an object to providea guard which is adapted to remove obstructions from a track upon whichthe wheels Yare travelling but which shallbefle-Xible and yielding inorder that if, due to inequalities in the track, the

gua-rd engages .a substantial object, such as thetrack itself, or ifthe` car or vehicle to Awhich the guard is attached is derailed, nodamage will result'to the guard.

Other objects and' advantages of: the invention will appear hereinafter.

A preferred embodiment `ofthe invention i selected for purposes ofillustration is shown l5 in the accompanying drawings, in which,

q Figure l is a side elevation of a mine locomotive showing the guardshoe attached. l

Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the guard. y

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the guard. For purposes ofillustration, the guard has been shown as applied to an electric minelocomotive, and while the guard is adapted particularly for such use, itwill be under-A stood that the invention is not limited to suchapplication. The conditions under which such locomotives operate arevery rigorous, the tracks being usually laid unevenly, the

grades being'heavy,y and the curves beingl 3o sharp in many cases.Furthermore the tracks frequently become obstructed with `loose earth,rock, etc. As a result of these conditions, derailments are frequent.v

Such locomotives are frequently driven by V electric current supplied bya cable which is wound up or paid out by a reel mountedV thereon. Itfrequently happens that in going down gradel the locomotive travelsfaster i than the cable is wound by the reel, with the 40 result thatthe locomotive overruns the cable and cuts or damages the same.

Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a guard which shall clear thetrack of loose Ob` struct-ions and lwhich shall also pick up or Ai5 pushahead the cable when the reel fails to.

Ywind fast enough. Variousexpedients such as rigid guards have beentried but have been found unsatisfactory because when adjustedsufficiently closely to the track to accomplish .50 the desired purpose,they have been broken off or damaged by contact with the track due tothe inequalities therein. On the other hand, when raised Suiiicientlyrtoclear such track inequalities, the, rigid guards are inleffective forguarding purposes. In any ywhen occasion arises.l

' member l, preferably event, upon derailment of the locomotive suchrigid guards are invariably damaged. According to tliepresent inventionit is proposed to provide a guard of yielding, resilient constructionwhich maybe adjusted in close proxiinityto the track, but which may bedisplaced when broughtfintov contact with the track or witha fixedobject without damage.. 4The guard should be suficiently firm on'theother hand to cause displacement. of loose objects and Vto "pick up Ithecable in itsv preferred comprises a .bod substantially cylindri-e4 calin shape, with which isfint'egially formed a forwardly andv downwardlyprotruding prong 2 having a substantially scoop-shaped front face 3terminating in the lip 4.v At either side the prong 2 is provided withthe depending flanges 5 and 5. i The guard is preferably Vformed ofrubber or vother suitable yielding resilient material, a compositioncomprising pure rubber, 15% carbon black and 25% reclaimed rubf berhaving beenrfound to 'bea suitable com- Referring tothe drawing,embodiment. the guard y position for thepurpose.

' Preferably the body member l is also cored to provide a longitudinallyextending passage 6 which may fit over and be clamped tov a fixedcylindrical member 7 in order to secure the guard in proper position. Inmine locomotives, the sand pipe extending from the sand box 8 has beenfound a convenient support for the guard and by clamping the guard tothe pipe in the manner shown the passage. l6 through the guard becomesan eX- tension of the'sand pipe and servesfto distribute the sand inclose proximity to the rail. i

As illustrated tobest advantage in Figures the head of the rail v9 andthe flangesk and 5 which are spaced apart a dist-ance sufficient toclear the shoulders of the rail extend downwardly to a point preferablybelow the upper surface of the rail. v Y v Due to the flexible resilientconstruction of the guard, it is permitted to flex to one vside or theother or it may be bent backwardly with-- out damage when fixed Objectsare encountered, but it may resume its original position after theinequality is passed or as soon as 2 and, the lip extends transverselyacross the locomotive is replaced upon the track. On

the other hand, the guard is sufficiently rigid n y face upon WhichtheWheel rests, and

and'non-yieldingv to throiv aside loose material such as earth andstones which are a frequent cause of derailinfr.

Itis to befunderstood that the invention may be variously modified andembodied Within the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim as my invention:

l. A Wheel guard comprisng a member of flexible resilient materialhaving a longitudinally extending Ypassage therethrough, e said passagebeing adapted to receive a ixed sup# port in'frictiona'l engagement,said member extending'into close proximity with the surto yield uponencountering fixed objects.

2. A Wheel guard comprising ameinbcr of [flexible resilient materialhaving a portion adapted to be secured to a lixed support, said memberhaving a prong extending ioiivardly and downwardly into Vclose proximitywith the surface upon Which the wheel rests, and adaptedv to yield" uponencountering fixed objects.V

3. A Wheel guard comprising a member of flexible resilient materialhaving a portion e vadapted to be secured to a fixedy support, saidadapted` member extending into close proximity with the surface uponwhich the Wheel rests, and adapted to yield upon encountering fixedobjects, said member havingfspaced side iianges 30 extending belovv thesaid surface.'

4. A Wheel guard comprising a member of flexible resilient materialhaving a portion adapted to be secured to a iixed support, said memberhaving a prong extending forwardly 35 and dovvnvvardly into closeproximity with the'surface upon which the Wheel rests, and

adapted to yield upon encountering fixed obV ]ects, said prong beingprovided with spaced side `flanges extending'beloiv the said surface. 40

5. A Wheel guard coii'iprising a member oi flexible resilient materialcomprising a body portionliaving a longitudinally extending passagetherethrough and a prong extending forwardly and downwardlytherefrominto 45 erriniiiisii. soor'r.

have signed my this 21st day of

